Arbeit Macht Frei (Work Sets You Free)

[Rhodes]

I'll be interested to get LATO's view in particular on why on earth somebody would want to steal the infamous 'Arbeit Macht Frei' sign from the entrance to Auschwitz, the former Nazi death camp in Southern Poland, which is now a Museum. I gather that Polish Police have arrested five men after finding the huge sign cut into three sections in the North of the Country, it has been suggested that the sinister so called 'Nazi Memorabilia Network' are behind the theft of the sign which conveyed to the helpless prisoners who passed underneath it that they could attain spiritual freedom through hard work for the Fatherland, however for most it was the inscription on a gateway to a living hell. Like I said hopefully LATO can throw some light on the theft.

[Lato]

I would imagine that the sign was stolen by people who thought they could make money out of it by selling it to a collector. However it would be an extremly difficult to get rid of especially as looks likely they did not steal it to order. Having said that the theft looks like it was well organised.

 

One point...who exactly are the "sinister so called 'Nazi Memorabilia Network'". Are they are a dubious organisation you have knowledge of?

[Big J R]

I would imagine that the sign was stolen by people who thought they could make money out of it by selling it to a collector. However it would be an extremly difficult to get rid of especially as looks likely they did not steal it to order. Having said that the theft looks like it was well organised.

 

One point...who exactly are the "sinister so called 'Nazi Memorabilia Network'". Are they are a dubious organisation you have knowledge of?

 

 

There are may organisatins in Germany today that still hold the Nazi ideals dear to their heart.

 

Apparently some of them are very well funded and do indeed, have secret stores of old Nazi artifacts.

[Hookey]

I would imagine that the sign was stolen by people who thought they could make money out of it by selling it to a collector. However it would be an extremly difficult to get rid of especially as looks likely they did not steal it to order. Having said that the theft looks like it was well organised.

 

One point...who exactly are the "sinister so called 'Nazi Memorabilia Network'". Are they are a dubious organisation you have knowledge of?

 

There are may organisatins in Germany today that still hold the Nazi ideals dear to their heart.

 

Apparently some of them are very well funded and do indeed, have secret stores of old Nazi artifacts.

 

If it was so iconic, surely it would have been more valuable/collectable in one piece, why chop it up into three sections?

[Rhodes]

There are may organisatins in Germany today that still hold the Nazi ideals dear to their heart.

Apparently some of them are very well funded and do indeed, have secret stores of old Nazi artifacts.

Big JR - I think you are on the right track here, indeed the Polish Police are currently investigating whether a German collector, far right mastermind or neo-facist organisation commissioned the gang to steal the sign. None of the five strong Polish gang are members of a neo-Nazi group, one owns a construction company and the others are unemployed with previous convictions for theft and assault, if charges are pressed they could well face up to ten years in jail for the theft of a cultural treasure of significant importance. Splitting the 16 foot long sign into three parts obviously made it easier to hide and transport to its destination wherever that was, the three sections were wrapped in cloth and initially hidden in woodland prior to being transferred to a yard owned by the leading gang member close to the busy Baltic Sea port of Gdynia which no doubt LATO knows.

[Rhodes]

Yes, I gather it has now been confirmed that 'a twisted collector' was behind the theft of the infamous sign, Polish radio quote a Police source as saying 'a mad collector was behind the theft of the sign as a potent symbol of the Third Reich's most notorious extermination centre', the Police are focusing their investigations on the murky World of Nazi memorabilia.

[C.A.A.]

Yes, I gather it has now been confirmed that 'a twisted collector' was behind the theft of the infamous sign, Polish radio quote a Police source as saying 'a mad collector was behind the theft of the sign as a potent symbol of the Third Reich's most notorious extermination centre', the Police are focusing their investigations on the murky World of Nazi memorabilia.

 

 

i can sleep easy tonight,,,,,,,,,,,,,thought a random burglar was on the loose and might have nicked my Polish wodka

[Big J R]

Yes, I gather it has now been confirmed that 'a twisted collector' was behind the theft of the infamous sign, Polish radio quote a Police source as saying 'a mad collector was behind the theft of the sign as a potent symbol of the Third Reich's most notorious extermination centre', the Police are focusing their investigations on the murky World of Nazi memorabilia.

 

 

i can sleep easy tonight,,,,,,,,,,,,,thought a random burglar was on the loose and might have nicked my Polish wodka

 

Could be worse - He could nick your Polish, then your furniture would get all dusty !

 

[Rhodes]

I see that the England squad visited Auschwitz during Euro 2012, here are some images of that sombre visit:

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/euro2012/article-2156476/Euro-2012-England-players-visit-Auschwitz-Oskar-Schindler-Factory-museum.html?ITO=1490

[Rhodes]

I'm quite surprised that LATO hasn't come on to acknowledge Holocaust Memorial Day today (27 January).

[missunderstood]

It makes you wonder us humans are capable of ever learning from history and the atrocities that have been carried out by our fellow beings. We still murder and injure hundreds of thousands of innocent people for oil, land, religious bigotry, or political dogma.

 

The best tribute we could possibly pay to all those unfortunate souls that went through the Nazi death camps would be to totally eradicate war, but somehow I doubt it will ever happen.

[Rhodes]

I'm still really surprised that LATO has never seen Schindler's List

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

I wish we could as well, Alan.

 

However when you have vermin like Rothschild funding wars, it is going to be very difficult to eradicate.

[Rhodes]

LATO might be interested to know that I'm going to watch 'Sobidor' next Thursday, he's more than welcome to come along if he wishes to:

 

Thursday 31st January

Film: Sobibor Octobre 14 1943 16 heures

Claude Lanzmann’s 2001 documentary about uprising at Nazi extermination camp. For Holocaust Memorial Day. French/Hebrew with English subtitles.

7.15pm, West Green Learning Centre, West Green Road, N15 (next to Downhills Park). £4/£3.

Haringey Independent Cinema

www.haringey.org.uk/hic

[Rhodes]

I'm amazed LATO hasn't been on to ask me about the film I saw, sorry, witnessed on Thursday evening, it was mind blowing to put it mildly!

[Rhodes]

Schindlers List was on on Sunday night, did anybody catch it

[The Mayor Of Simpleton]

I saw it a few years back, harrowing and very hard hitting to say the least.

 

I've also been to Auschwitz - never cried as much in my life, it is a really moving experience when you think of what happened there to not just Jews but Christians, Homosexuals, the Disabled etc.

 

Auschwitz should be a reason why we should never go to war - it just is not worth it.

[Big J R]

Schindlers List was on on Sunday night, did anybody catch it

 

Yes !

 

Brilliant film.

[Big J R]

I saw it a few years back, harrowing and very hard hitting to say the least.

 

I've also been to Auschwitz - never cried as much in my life, it is a really moving experience when you think of what happened there to not just Jews but Christians, Homosexuals, the Disabled etc.

 

Auschwitz should be a reason why we should never go to war - it just is not worth it.

 

I know several people who have been and they all say it is the most humbling experience possible. I would really like to make the journey.

[Rhodes]

I watched it again last night despite it clashing with Porkies and The Full Monty on other channels, I could watch the film 24/7 which is why it's so strange LATO has never seen it